| rev:text
| - We arrived at the baggage check-in area 45 minutes prior to our 9:30am flight from Toronto to Vancouver - following the instructions on our tickets. When we asked the sullen girl at the Air Canada podium where to go (to avoid standing in the wrong line-up as no flights were listed on the monitors) she told us we were too late for the 9:30am flight. We told her we were on-time according to the instructions on our boarding passes. She told us to go talk to the 2 girls at the entrance to the line-up. We asked the 2 girls at the entrance to the check-in where we should go and they also told us that the flight was 'gone' and that we should just get in line. Once we reached the lady at the counter she told us we had missed the 9:30am and that we had also missed the 10:00am flight. Now THIS doesn't make ANY SENSE AT ALL as we were there more than the "recommended" 1 hour prior to the 10:00am flight. I can't emphasize enough how Air Canada has no explanation for this inconsistency. We were eventually booked on the 11:00am flight and charged $150/person + tax for the change of flight. None of the Air Canada employees could have cared less.
This isn't the first time we are flying and anytime we have cut it close with other airlines we were expedited to the front of the line and we've never missed a flight. We sent a complaint email to Air Canada customer service and this is the response we received:
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At Air Canada, we make every effort to respect the scheduled departure time of all flights. A delay of even a few minutes can result in the loss of a take-off position. This, in turn can impact an entire day's operations and further inconvenience a greater number of
customers.
The absolute deadline for the completed process of check-in, including any checked baggage, is as follows; within Canada - 45 minutes prior to departure, to and from the United States - 60
minutes, and Internationally - 60 minutes. Kiosks and check-in are programmed such that they will not accept passengers or their baggage who do not meet these requirements. You must have checked in, obtained your boarding pass and deposited all checked baggage at the baggage drop-off counter before the check-in deadline for your flight.
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It should be noted that the details of the check-in are at the bottom of the webpage, buried in a footnote. When we asked why, if the timing is so critical, customers aren't asked to be at the airport earlier and being on-time is not emphasized on the boarding pass or the website or anywhere, they simply replied that this was their policy. In a subsequent email they also assured us that our original flight was not oversold.
Their on-line contact form also has a maddening time-limit, so you better have all your information handy and hope you aren't interrupted in the middle of composing your rant.
Oh, and if you have a problem with Air Canada don't bother complaining to the Better Business Bureau, Air Canada does not 'deal with them' thankyouverymuch.
So, as a consumer I supposedly have options in this free-market economy, but the reality is that sadly far too often that is just an illusion. I will say I will NEVER FLY with Air Canada again, hopefully I won't be forced to eat my words.
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